Best Albums of the 1980s

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Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 53,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

1980s decade summary

Year	Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts.	Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year)	Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
1980	2,115	193,864	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,155	120,155	Moving Pictures (153rd)by Rush
1982	2,129	148,389	Thriller (77th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,128	135,580	Murmur (141st)by R.E.M.
1984	2,132	170,955	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,131	143,466	Hounds Of Love (57th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,258	171,209	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,459	162,712	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,544	151,994	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,563	197,519	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,614	1,595,843

The best artists of the 1980s were The Smiths, Prince, Pixies, The Cure, Talking Heads, U2, Metallica, Kate Bush, R.E.M. and The Stone Roses.

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381.

Signals, Calls, And Marches

Mission Of Burma

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

111 charts

Rank Score:

638

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

381

Overall Rank:

2,478

Average Rating:

77 (138 votes)

Comments:

382.

The Flowers Of Romance

Public Image Ltd.

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

122 charts

Rank Score:

637

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

382

Overall Rank:

2,481

Average Rating:

74 (127 votes)

Comments:

383.

Brilliant Trees

David Sylvian

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

105 charts

Rank Score:

634

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

383

Overall Rank:

2,495

Average Rating:

78 (128 votes)

Comments:

384.

A Kiss In The Dreamhouse

Siouxsie And The Banshees

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

113 charts

Rank Score:

630

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

384

Overall Rank:

2,502

Average Rating:

78 (131 votes)

Comments:

385.

Greatest Hits
Compilation

Queen

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

127 charts

Rank Score:

630

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

385

Overall Rank:

2,503

Average Rating:

83 (382 votes)

Comments:

386.

Is This Real?

Wipers

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

111 charts

Rank Score:

628

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

386

Overall Rank:

2,511

Average Rating:

77 (139 votes)

Comments:

387.

Heyday

The Church

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

81 charts

Rank Score:

627

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

387

Overall Rank:

2,512

Average Rating:

78 (92 votes)

Comments:

388.

George Best

The Wedding Present

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

118 charts

Rank Score:

622

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

388

Overall Rank:

2,528

Average Rating:

78 (93 votes)

Comments:

389.

Asia

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

146 charts

Rank Score:

621

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

389

Overall Rank:

2,529

Average Rating:

71 (175 votes)

Comments:

390.

The Last In Line

Dio

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

105 charts

Rank Score:

619

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

390

Overall Rank:

2,533

Average Rating:

76 (128 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 39 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	116	12%
1981	121	12%
1982	111	11%
1983	97	10%
1984	102	10%
1985	80	8%
1986	96	10%
1987	88	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	97	10%

Artist	Albums	%

The Cure	10	1%
Rush	8	1%
Iron Maiden	8	1%
Depeche Mode	8	1%
The Fall	7	1%
The Smiths	7	1%
R.E.M.	7	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	418	42%
	385	38%
	39	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	23	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	966	97%
Yes	35	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	978	98%
Yes	23	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	989	99%
Yes	12	1%

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Best Artists of 1968
1. The Beatles
2. Jimi Hendrix
3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
4. Van Morrison
5. The Zombies
6. The Kinks
7. The Velvet Underground
8. The Rolling Stones
9. The Band
10. Simon & Garfunkel
11. Johnny Cash
12. The Byrds
13. Aretha Franklin
14. Frank Zappa
15. Pink Floyd
16. The Doors
17. The Mothers Of Invention
18. Big Brother And The Holding Company
19. Os Mutantes
20. Cream